Whitman women down Pacific

Walla Walla Union-Bulletin

Sunday, January 15, 2012

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WALLA WALLA - Living up to its billing as the top free throw shooting team in the Northwest Conference, Whitman College knocked down eight straight freebies inside the final minute to seal a 65-58 Northwest Conference women's basketball victory over Pacific University Saturday night in Sherwood Center.

Winning its fifth straight game, Whitman improved to 4-2 in the NWC and 8-7 overall.

Whitman seized control over the final 10 minutes of the first half and then took its biggest lead of the night at 51-34 with 12 minutes left to play.

The Missionaries still led 55-40 with 6:30 remaining, but the Boxers made a final surge, scoring 11 of the next 13 points to draw within 57-51 with just over two minutes left.

Jenele Peterson hit four consecutive free throws, and Tiffani Traver drilled two more to put the game out of reach.

Peterson, who leads the NWC in assists, paced Whitman with 14 points and six assists. Jennifer Keyes, canned four 3-pointers for a second straight night to put 12 points on the board.

The victory moves the Missionaries into a tie for third place as the conference season nears the midway point.

On a Friday night when the offenses struggled, senior sharpshooter Keyes drilled three 3-pointers late in the game to lift Whitman College to a 62-52 Northwest Conference victory over Linfield. Keyes finished her night with a season-high 16 points.